Ravens surge past 49ers in Super Bowl

Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) celebrates after returning a kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
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Baltimore Ravens wide receiver Jacoby Jones (12) celebrates after returning a kickoff for a 108-yard touchdown against the San Francisco 49ers during the second half of the NFL Super Bowl XLVII football game, Sunday, Feb. 3, 2013, in New Orleans.(AP Photo/Elaine Thompson)
/ AP

Not in the box score: The national anthem performed by Alicia Keyes lasted two minutes and 40.3 seconds (unofficial) and shattered oddsmakers' "over-under" of two minutes and 10 seconds. The Ravens won the coin toss and chose to kick off. The 49ers had a penalty on each team's first possession. Getting open for the touchdown, Boldin went past linebacker NaVorro Bowman and safety Donte Whitner. A third-down sack by Ravens edge rusher Paul Kruger led the 49ers to kick a 36-yard field goal. After colliding with tight end Vernon Davis, Ravens safety Ed Reed left with a knee injury. The Ravens had converted on all three third downs when Ray McDonald and Aldon Smith sacked Flacco to force a punt at the end of the quarter. Flacco looked in control, though, eluding defenders and throwing with touch and precision.

Second Quarter

Ravens 21-6

Key play: Three Ravens created a turnover by 49ers rookie LaMichael James, halting San Francisco at Baltimore’s 25.

Key stat: For the first time in a Super Bowl, a 49ers quarterback was intercepted when safety Ed Reed caught Colin Kaepernick’s over-throw of Randy Moss.

Not in the box score: Ravens speedster Jacoby Jones got by 49ers cornerback Chris Culliver for a 56-yard touchdown, making it 21-3. In San Francisco’s previous five Super Bowls, Joe Montana and Steve Young had 17 TD passes without an interception. Reed had returned from a knee injury. As Ravens cornerback Corey Graham held James at the end of a first-down run, linebacker Courtney Upshaw dislodged the ball, which lineman Arthur Jones recovered. The Ravens followed with a 75-yard scoring drive, building their lead to 14-3. Next came Kaepernick’s interception. Stopping a fake field goal a yard short of the first down, the Niners’ Darcel McBath tackled kicker Justin Tucker at San Francisco’s 6. But the Niners then went three and out.

Third Quarter

Ravens 28, 49ers 23

Key play: The Ravens’ Jacoby Jones took the opening kickoff 108 yards, tying the NFL record for a kick return.

Key stat: Not long after a power outage halted the game for 34 minutes, the 49ers went a 17-0 run to pull to 28-23.

Not in the box score: Jones, who grew up in New Orleans, ran through a tackle at Baltimore’s 20 and pulled away for the touchdown, his second of the game. When half of the Superdome’s lights went dark, the Ravens led 28-6 with 13:22 left in the quarter. When play resumed, the Ravens won on third-and-13, forcing a punt. The Ravens went 84 minutes between middle-quarter possessions. Scoring San Francisco’s first touchdown on a 31-yard pass play, receiver Michael Crabtree shook off a hit by Ravens enforcer Bernard Pollard. A missed field goal by the Niners’ David Akers was nullified by Chykie Brown’s running-into-the-kicker penalty; Akers then connected from 34 yards. Two Ravens -- Bernard Pierce and Haloti Ngata -- left the game with injuries.

Fourth Quarter

Ravens 34, 49ers 31

Key play: Leading 34-29 with 1:46 to play at their 5, the Ravens, getting home in 1.5 seconds with a blitz, pressured Colin Kaepernick into an incompletion on fourth-and-goal.

Key stat: The Ravens were outscored 23-3 for a second-half stretch but never trailed in the game.

Not in the box score: On the fourth-down incompletion, Ravens No. 3 cornerback Jimmy Smith locked up with Niners receiver Michael Crabtree – but refs didn’t agree with Niners coach Jim Harbaugh that Smith was guilty of holding. On the play, linebacker Dannell Ellerbee hit Kaepernick. Ravens punter Sam Koch burned eight seconds in taking a safety with four second left. Kaepernick, making the Ravens appear slow, raced 15 yards for the longest TD run in Super Bowl history by a quarterback. Safety Ed Reed then blitzed Kaepernick into a failed two-point pass that would’ve tied the score 31-31. Jim Harbaugh won a challenge on a spot placement, creating third-and-a foot.